Recommended spring rates for V6 1LE

Kairles · 03-04-2018, 08:43 PM

So im researching coilovers and just wondering if anyone had recommendations for spring rates, or how I go about figuring out what rates i need. Car is my daily and I do 3-5 track days a year with frequent visits to the canyons. I email a couple company's(yesterday) and so far BCracing was the only one to respond. They said their standard rates(6k front, 12K rear) will work good with the car and how I use it. This is kinda new to me. My last car I just bought some Prokit spring and some KYBs and it work great.

PolynesianPowerhouse · 03-05-2018, 08:07 AM

Most advice on this is going to be subjective at best.

The reason is, no one as of yet knows the spring rates in OEM form of the V6 1LE. I'm waiting to hear back from another place that can figure out the spring rates of the springs that I have off a V6 1LE.

so generally speaking before you change anything you have to know what you're starting from. As of yet, those numbers i havent seen anyone put on a spring dyno.

When it comes to coilovers there's no special magic number in the spring rates that's going to be good for everyone. when it comes to Spring rates the rates to use are all going to depend on your driving style personally, and what you're trying to do with the car. Most of the coilover companies have a general starting point but from there you have to make the decision on what you're going to adjust from in either going higher or lower on the spring rate. Test and tune.

From what I'm seeing overall with the 1LE....that car is already pretty much stout from the factory so the fact that you're going to lower it probably a good amount that's going to take away from the handling aspect as it is. So at that point it's basically being lowered for an appearance ordeal and not for performance. Most cars only need roughly 1/2 to an inch and a half of lowering from the factory. GM as engineered these cars to really only need three quarters of an inch, which is what their lowering kit does.

Anything lower is purely mostly aesthetic and not really performance.

Even the ZL1 1LE only gives you an option to lower roughly 10 mm in the front only, which is less than half an inch. 25.4 mm is 1 in

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kairles

So im researching coilovers and just wondering if anyone had recommendations for spring rates, or how I go about figuring out what rates i need. Car is my daily and I do 3-5 track days a year with frequent visits to the canyons. I email a couple company's(yesterday) and so far BCracing was the only one to respond. They said their standard rates(6k front, 12K rear) will work good with the car and how I use it. This is kinda new to me. My last car I just bought some Prokit spring and some KYBs and it work great.

Kairles · 03-06-2018, 01:48 AM

Not getting coilovers just to lower the car. On the crappy, pothole infested roads I have to travel on just suck in this car, also the canyon roads arent always smooth either. Im hoping I can "soften" the car without sacrificing any performance, maybe even adding some. If I do coilovers I can get a spring analysis done. Naake Suspension Specialists isnt far from my house, I talked to them a couple times when I ordered QA1s for my Iroc. I know they can do all that stuff. Kinda sucks having a new car no one knows about.

ddanj · 03-11-2018, 05:36 PM

Have you considered getting smaller diameter rims and regular (not rft) tires? That could make the car a bit softer and more compliant.

PolynesianPowerhouse · 03-11-2018, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kairles

Not getting coilovers just to lower the car. On the crappy, pothole infested roads I have to travel on just suck in this car, also the canyon roads arent always smooth either. Im hoping I can "soften" the car without sacrificing any performance, maybe even adding some. If I do coilovers I can get a spring analysis done. Naake Suspension Specialists isnt far from my house, I talked to them a couple times when I ordered QA1s for my Iroc. I know they can do all that stuff. Kinda sucks having a new car no one knows about.

that's probably your best bet.... tell them what the coilovers you PLAN to buy come with and let em know the what they were designed to replace. usually the 8kg/mm fronts and 12kg/mm rears replace a OEM SS Front: 137 lbs/inch (Linear) OEM SS Rear: 577 lbs/inch (Linear)

the stock oem v6 runs a OEM V6 Front: 124 lbs/inch (Linear) OEM V6 Rear: 467 lbs/inch (Linear) which is FE2 suspension... but the 1LE v6 runs a FE3 level suspension that's gonna be stiffer.

I still haven't gotten the spring rates on the 1LE stuff yet. waiting for the front springs to get here, hopefully this week, then I can take em down to RRT Tuning in Va. MA-Motorsports didn't have the setup to tech the oem springs which are a bit different than coilover springs size wise...

generally speaking the v6 1LE, has a 50/50 chance of being in between the SS and V6 FE2 stuff and it could be totally different and a shocker...

i'll figure it out sooner or later.

Tuner2muscle · 04-10-2018, 10:25 PM

OP - how much of a drop are you going for...I would like to see at least a 1.5" on my 1LE, despise wheel gap, how much of a gap does your 1LE have?

sadpanda · 04-11-2018, 08:46 PM

For cars that are driven on 'real' roads ya, ditch the run flats and go soft spring big bar... Street cars rarely see corner speeds that justify aero (high speed is straight line) so you don't need stiff springs to keep the nose off the ground from DF. In fact, the softer the spring the more 'fidelity' the contact patch has over the road = more traction /speed. Suspension is there to do exactly as the name implies. Unless you want a hard bouncing ride because racecar

Kairles · 04-11-2018, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuner2muscle

OP - how much of a drop are you going for...I would like to see at least a 1.5" on my 1LE, despise wheel gap, how much of a gap does your 1LE have?

I actually don't want to lower it. When the Goodyears are done they will be replaced with non runflat tires.

Tuner2muscle · 04-23-2018, 11:02 PM

Well I ordered the aFe V6 springs today... online dealer spoke to aFe they confirmed it will fit the 1LE non MRC...but then I called aFe retail line and they said no it will not fit 1LE ... so good thing they have their stories straight...

Lt Berserker · 05-08-2018, 11:50 PM

Any update on spring rates of the factory V6 1le?

Roostie · 05-13-2018, 01:46 AM

Kairles, if what you're after is cornering performance, in my opinion you are more likely to degrade the handling of the 1LE by changing the springs than you are to improve it. And you'll endure several compromises for DD. Chevy engineers spend a long time testing the suspension components, and the performance of the Camaro and Corvette proves that their suspensions are world-class.

The problem with throwing springs at a 1LE is that you're starting with a car that has world-class handling. Unless and until there is a spring/shock combo that is demonstrated by several sources to outperform the V6 1LE suspension, I'm not touching the springs and struts.

My DD is an Infiniti G37 sedan and when one of the dampers started leaking, I swapped to Koni sports and some Eibach springs. But that was a car that handled pretty crappy, and the Koni/Eibach combo is a reliable way of going from crappy to good. Likewise, you had a good experience with a KYB/Eibach springs on your last car.

The stock suspension, even on a 1LE car, is definitely a compromise between street and track, and these are much more street cars than race cars. But ... suspension tuning is a black art. Once you change springs, then is damper performance compromised? Would your sway bars still work as intended? Then there are issues about issues with suspension travel and bump stops, ground clearance and hitting curbs, decisions to make about the alignment including camber and toe, durometer of your suspension bushings, wheel/tire clearance if you aren't running stock wheels/tires, etc. I've been down that rabbit hole, and it can be a struggle.

I agree with your plan to get non-run-flat tires. I suspect it will improve the ride quite a bit.

I just got a V6 1LE and the thing I'm going to tinker with for handling performance is the wheels. The OEM wheel & tire combo is heavy. I'm going to get square set of 18" wheels for track use: 18x10 or 10.5" wide, and tires like 275/40, 275/35 or 285/30. It will lower the car a little without reducing suspension travel, and it could reduce unsprung weight up to 50#, which is a HUGE amount. Reducing unsprung weight improves suspension performance, braking and acceleration. Gearing will be shorter with 18" wheels, and it will throw the speedometer off, so it's not good for DD. If you don't have space to store a second set of wheels or a place to easily swap them, stick with the OEM wheels, or sell them and get a lighter set of 19 or 20" wheels with tires that have a similar diameter to the OEM tires. With the right 19 or 20" wheels, you can still drop a lot of weight.

I hope that gives you some food for thought.

Polynesian Powerhouse knows a lot about the Camaro suspensions - not many people outside the Camaro team at GM have that depth of knowledge. He's a great resource for this subject!

PolynesianPowerhouse · 05-13-2018, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lt Berserker

Any update on spring rates of the factory V6 1le?

only thing that I found out, was that they are also the FE3 springs used on the convertible. aa1n is the spring code.

was gonna get them spring rated through a local company, but there wasn't much interest on here for them so I basically just installed them. driving over an hour away and then paying and waiting for something that many had little interest, I just installed them. I may buy a spare single front and rear spring and have em done in the future(if theres a legit need/interest), but wanted to get the car ready for autoX season which has already begun. compared to the FE2 stuff, DEF stiffer, but nothing harsh and crazy. been on em the last 3 weeks or so.

Roostie · 05-13-2018, 09:43 AM

So our cars have springs that are the convertible version of the FE3? Interesting.

Unless someone's objective is to lower the car for appearance and/or for the different "feel" of being lower, I wouldn't swap the springs with the stock 1LE dampers unless and until the stock 1LE spring rates have been measured, the rates of the aftermarket springs are known and you've heard from several reliable sources that the aftermarket ones provide an improvement over OEM 1LE. Of course, if you're experienced in working with suspension modifications and you have time to test & tune, or you like to tinker and want to gain that experience, my advice doesn't apply. Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.

I think Polynesian's project of converting a 2016 V6 to 1LE spec is really interesting.

Lt Berserker · 05-13-2018, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolynesianPowerhouse

only thing that I found out, was that they are also the FE3 springs used on the convertible. aa1n is the spring code.

was gonna get them spring rated through a local company, but there wasn't much interest on here for them so I basically just installed them. driving over an hour away and then paying and waiting for something that many had little interest, I just installed them. I may buy a spare single front and rear spring and have em done in the future(if theres a legit need/interest), but wanted to get the car ready for autoX season which has already begun. compared to the FE2 stuff, DEF stiffer, but nothing harsh and crazy. been on em the last 3 weeks or so.

Thanks for the info/update...

From what I've gathered

V6/2.0t -
(non 1le) oe: 124 lbs/in (front), 467 lbs/in (rear)
AFE: Prog. 110-180 lbs/in (front), prog. 380-640 lbs/in (rear)
Eibach: Prog. 143-164 lbs/in (front), prog. 228-691 lbs/in (rear)

vs

BMR SS - 175 lbs/in (Front) 640lb lbs/in (Rear)

In future I was thinking of going lowering spring w/ adjustable shocks but there isn't much out there for adjustable shocks (and don't feel like going with coilovers on this car)

Ideally adjustable SS koni or Bilstein shocks with good lowering springs, both for looks with a slightly lower COG and to reduce body roll... AFE rates actually don't look too bad vs BMR, with the ones being progressive vs linear.

BMR told me they have no plans to make a linear lowering spring for the V6/2.0t now that both will have a 1le package...

03-04-2018, 08:43 PM	#1
Kairles Drives: 2015 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Antelope, CA Posts: 208	Recommended spring rates for V6 1LE So im researching coilovers and just wondering if anyone had recommendations for spring rates, or how I go about figuring out what rates i need. Car is my daily and I do 3-5 track days a year with frequent visits to the canyons. I email a couple company's(yesterday) and so far BCracing was the only one to respond. They said their standard rates(6k front, 12K rear) will work good with the car and how I use it. This is kinda new to me. My last car I just bought some Prokit spring and some KYBs and it work great.

03-11-2018, 05:36 PM	#4
ddanj Drives: 2018 1LS 1LE Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 162	Have you considered getting smaller diameter rims and regular (not rft) tires? That could make the car a bit softer and more compliant. __________________ 2018 Garnet Red 1LS 1LE V6 w/Tech 1100 - 07/26/2017 \| 4300 - 09/15/2017 at rail yard 3000 - 08/16/2017 \| 4200 - 09/18/2017 shipped! 3100 - 08/19/2017 TPW 09/11/2017 \| 4800 - 09/20/2017 train journey done 3400 - 08/25/2017 \| 5000 - 09/22/2017 at the dealer, and picked up! 4300 - 09/12/2017 Built! VIN available 4B00 - 09/14/2017 move to rail yard

05-13-2018, 09:43 AM	#13
Roostie all it takes is cash Drives: 2018 LS V6 1LE; E350 wagon; Model3 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: San Diego Posts: 372	So our cars have springs that are the convertible version of the FE3? Interesting. Unless someone's objective is to lower the car for appearance and/or for the different "feel" of being lower, I wouldn't swap the springs with the stock 1LE dampers unless and until the stock 1LE spring rates have been measured, the rates of the aftermarket springs are known and you've heard from several reliable sources that the aftermarket ones provide an improvement over OEM 1LE. Of course, if you're experienced in working with suspension modifications and you have time to test & tune, or you like to tinker and want to gain that experience, my advice doesn't apply. Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. I think Polynesian's project of converting a 2016 V6 to 1LE spec is really interesting. Last edited by Roostie; 05-13-2018 at 09:45 AM. Reason: clarify

03-06-2018, 01:48 AM	#3
Kairles Drives: 2015 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Antelope, CA Posts: 208	Not getting coilovers just to lower the car. On the crappy, pothole infested roads I have to travel on just suck in this car, also the canyon roads arent always smooth either. Im hoping I can "soften" the car without sacrificing any performance, maybe even adding some. If I do coilovers I can get a spring analysis done. Naake Suspension Specialists isnt far from my house, I talked to them a couple times when I ordered QA1s for my Iroc. I know they can do all that stuff. Kinda sucks having a new car no one knows about.

04-10-2018, 10:25 PM	#6
Tuner2muscle Drives: 2019 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Ontario Posts: 198	OP - how much of a drop are you going for...I would like to see at least a 1.5" on my 1LE, despise wheel gap, how much of a gap does your 1LE have?

04-11-2018, 08:46 PM	#7
sadpanda Drives: 2014 ATS 2.0T 6MT Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: ohio Posts: 66	For cars that are driven on 'real' roads ya, ditch the run flats and go soft spring big bar... Street cars rarely see corner speeds that justify aero (high speed is straight line) so you don't need stiff springs to keep the nose off the ground from DF. In fact, the softer the spring the more 'fidelity' the contact patch has over the road = more traction /speed. Suspension is there to do exactly as the name implies. Unless you want a hard bouncing ride because racecar

04-23-2018, 11:02 PM	#9
Tuner2muscle Drives: 2019 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Ontario Posts: 198	Well I ordered the aFe V6 springs today... online dealer spoke to aFe they confirmed it will fit the 1LE non MRC...but then I called aFe retail line and they said no it will not fit 1LE ... so good thing they have their stories straight...

05-08-2018, 11:50 PM	#10
Lt Berserker Drives: V6 1LE Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Milwaukee WI Posts: 47	Any update on spring rates of the factory V6 1le?

05-13-2018, 01:46 AM	#11
Roostie all it takes is cash Drives: 2018 LS V6 1LE; E350 wagon; Model3 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: San Diego Posts: 372	Kairles, if what you're after is cornering performance, in my opinion you are more likely to degrade the handling of the 1LE by changing the springs than you are to improve it. And you'll endure several compromises for DD. Chevy engineers spend a long time testing the suspension components, and the performance of the Camaro and Corvette proves that their suspensions are world-class. The problem with throwing springs at a 1LE is that you're starting with a car that has world-class handling. Unless and until there is a spring/shock combo that is demonstrated by several sources to outperform the V6 1LE suspension, I'm not touching the springs and struts. My DD is an Infiniti G37 sedan and when one of the dampers started leaking, I swapped to Koni sports and some Eibach springs. But that was a car that handled pretty crappy, and the Koni/Eibach combo is a reliable way of going from crappy to good. Likewise, you had a good experience with a KYB/Eibach springs on your last car. The stock suspension, even on a 1LE car, is definitely a compromise between street and track, and these are much more street cars than race cars. But ... suspension tuning is a black art. Once you change springs, then is damper performance compromised? Would your sway bars still work as intended? Then there are issues about issues with suspension travel and bump stops, ground clearance and hitting curbs, decisions to make about the alignment including camber and toe, durometer of your suspension bushings, wheel/tire clearance if you aren't running stock wheels/tires, etc. I've been down that rabbit hole, and it can be a struggle. I agree with your plan to get non-run-flat tires. I suspect it will improve the ride quite a bit. I just got a V6 1LE and the thing I'm going to tinker with for handling performance is the wheels. The OEM wheel & tire combo is heavy. I'm going to get square set of 18" wheels for track use: 18x10 or 10.5" wide, and tires like 275/40, 275/35 or 285/30. It will lower the car a little without reducing suspension travel, and it could reduce unsprung weight up to 50#, which is a HUGE amount. Reducing unsprung weight improves suspension performance, braking and acceleration. Gearing will be shorter with 18" wheels, and it will throw the speedometer off, so it's not good for DD. If you don't have space to store a second set of wheels or a place to easily swap them, stick with the OEM wheels, or sell them and get a lighter set of 19 or 20" wheels with tires that have a similar diameter to the OEM tires. With the right 19 or 20" wheels, you can still drop a lot of weight. I hope that gives you some food for thought. Polynesian Powerhouse knows a lot about the Camaro suspensions - not many people outside the Camaro team at GM have that depth of knowledge. He's a great resource for this subject!

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